When Edward Is Gone
by xliquidxpainx
Summary: Bella is alone for the weekend. All the vampires are gone, and there's no one to bother her. But what happens when something goes awry? R & R plz... it's better than it sounds! Rated T to be safe!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, guys! Here's another story for you. I just thought of it out of the blue -- literally, it just hit me. Enjoy!!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse (unfortunately...) The wonderful and creative Stephenie Meyer does. : )**

**Bella's POV**

Edward had left on a hunting trip. And guess what? He took his _whole family_ with him. I had the entire Cullen house all to myself for the weekend. I was so proud of myself.

Edward, for some reason, had begun to trust me with being alone, and not to try and kill myself somehow...

Anyways, the point was, I was completely alone to think for the whole weekend. I was free of vampires, werewolves, and God knows what else. Just me and my thoughts.

After I finished putting away the dishes from my lunch - grilled cheese and milk - I went upstairs to Edward's and my room, plopping down on the bed, trying to decide what CD to listen to, relaxing myself completely.

**Edward's POV**

I left her to herself in the house, my mind set on the fact that she wasn't completely dependent on me: she could take care of herself for _one _weekend. It was only two days. She could handle that, right? Of course. But could I?

"Edward, stop worrying! Bella's going to be fine," Jasper said to me, feeling my distress at these disturbing thoughts.

I looked up at him gratefully. "Thanks, Jasper. I really hope so."

Emmett drove up in the big Jeep, tires squealing, jumping out saying, "Come on, people! Let's go!" He was eager to get going; he was hungry.

We all piled into the big car, and off we went to some reserve in Florida...

**Bella's POV**

After I finished listening to the seventeenth CD, I thought I might as well take a shower, and get dressed. I was going out tonight.

I don't know why I thought about this _now_. If anything, I should take Edward along when I go someplace. But no. I felt really independent tonight, so I wanted to show it off. I didn't know where I would go; I just wanted to go out.

I skipped merrily to the bathroom, once again surprised momentarily by the enormity of it. Alice really did go high-hog when she wanted to.

I stripped, getting ready to make it into the shower. When I finally did, the warm - almost hot - water ran over my bare skin, making me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Then I heard something, something that made me jump really high and hit my head on the sprayer.

"Ow!" I shouted to no one in particular, cursing myself for my stupidity.

Then I heard the same _bump_ing sound again, making me wonder what the hell it was...

**AN: I know, I know, cliffy. But sorry. I'll try to do more next time!!!**

**- Nikki (aka xliquidxpainx) : )**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's more! Thanks to you guys who put me on Story Alert and everything. You've given me a real ego boost!**

**--- TTFN, **

**Nikki (aka xliquidxpainx) :)**

**Bella's POV**

I stuck my head out of the shower curtain, almost afraid - for some reason - of what I would see. I saw nothing out of the ordinary, though, so I finished my shower in a rush, probably getting all worked up over nothing, as usual.

I had dried myself off, and was now trying - unsuccessfully to pick out the perfect outfit. So far, I had ten tops laid out and couldn't pick one and couldn't find one pair of pants or a skirt that went with any of them. I was having a rough morning.

_Bump_. My head jerked up towards the sound, which came from the other side of the room - possible from the other side of the door. I couldn't tell.

I still had my pjs on as I stepped, light-footed, down the stairs, my head flipping back and forth, searching for the source of the sound. I heard it again and I jumped; it was _right beside me_ now. I turned around quickly, holding back a blood-curdling scream at what I found.

**Edward's POV**

I sighed as Emmett suggested that we yet again find some more animals to hunt. He was really hungry when we started out, but now, even though he was sated - a little - he wanted more than ever, because of the taste he had experienced earlier today. Jasper was in on Emmett's plan, too. He wanted more and more, because Bella's blood was tempting him so much lately.

"Alright, Emmett," Carlisle said. "We'll go." Everyone sighed simultaneously. They were either relieved or annoyed. No one knew which the other was except me, who could read everyone's thoughts. Jasper and Emmett were, of course, relieved. Rosalie might have been, also. Carlisle, Esme, and Alice didn't really pick a side, they were indifferent, though Alice might have been leaning towards annoyed, and _I_ was most definitely annoyed. I'd had enough - I just wanted to get home to Bella.

We started out going north, because that's where the second most largest population problem was.

Halfway there, when we were so close to Montana I could almost taste it, Alice had a vision. And what was in her mind terrified me to no end.

Alice froze, a distant look in her eyes, as usual, and the others assumed it was just how many animals they were going to kill today, as usual. But I knew better.

Alice broke out of her trance, and screamed softly, and I rushed over to her, looking in her eyes, and with wordless communication, we were off running towards Forks. We would explain the mishap on the way to the others. All I knew was that I had to get back to my love, my Bella before that vision came true.

It couldn't - _wouldn't_ - come true. I would make sure of it. My face was a look of terror all the way to the border line.

**I know, short chapter, sorry. I've been kinda busy, you know getting ready for New Years and stuff. My dad's been cooking all weekend, and it's smelled so good, I just had to sample everything. Oh, by the way, if you guys can guess what's going to happen, let me know. I want to hear your theories. You'll probably guess it anyways.**

**I'll update more often, thanks to xturtlequeenx for helping me to figure out how to do second and all chapters. **

**R & R please, and I welcome criticism, since this is only my third story. Thanks - Nikki :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ugh. Guys (and girls) if you don't review, I'm not going to put up that many chapters so soon. This is just because I really wanted to get the next one out. So, here you go. You don't really deserve it, but... oh, well.**

**-- Nikki (aka xliquidxpainx)**

**Bella's POV**

I stared into the eyes of a man, holding a bag of... something. He had a tanned face (unusual for Forks) and lightly colored hair (also unusual). This particular man also had a mask pulled down over half of his face, so I couldn't see the full extent of how he looked. I was just scared. Because a strange man in the house with only me in it isn't why I almost screamed.

He had a gun -- probably loaded -- firmly planted against my shoulderblade. _Oh. My. God_, I thought, panicking. I had dressed all ready to go out on a fabulous, partying night, and this was what I got? So much for fun. And so much for Edward trusting me. I just dragged trouble along with me everywhere I went, didn't I? I started breathing harder, my eyes flitting here and there, looking for some way to escape. And if not, a way to defend myself; I really didn't want to rip this dress in any way by kicking or punching him.

"Turn around -- _slowly_," he said, emphasising the last word. I knew he'd shoot me if I didn't do what he said, so I turned around and -- excuse me, _slowly_ -- and faced beady eyes that didn't look at all or in any way friendly. "Walk downstairs and sit on the sofa," he said. I wondered why.

"Okay. I'm going, just hold on. I might trip," I said, wanting to confuse him. He was for a moment. His brow furrowed, and then he settled for a bemused expression. I walked down the stairs cautiously because of my wear-only-once-in-a-lifetime high heels that I had on. I know, scary, right? I found it that, too, seeing as there was a _gun pointed at me_!!! (Sorry for shouting, I was a little panicked, as you can tell.) **AN: would Bella _actually_ wear heels, special occasion or not??? I don't know...**

When I sat down, I was careful not to look away from the man, incase he decided to shoot me or something.

All I had to do was wait -- just wait. Alice would see me, and then come to my rescue, or Edward would, since he could read Alice's mind. Everything would be okay. But then the intruder started shuffling around, probably looking for things of value -- and there were _a lot_ of valuable things in this house. My face turned beet red when I realized the scariest thing of all.

I had decided to wear my wedding ring tonight, just because of the occasion. I bit my lip, hoping he wouldn't search me.

But my face gave me away. The man noticed my flushed and worried expression and decided to come and investigate, gun held towards me, eyes cautious. "What are you hiding?" he asked, wary.

"N-nothing!" I shouted before I could bite my tongue. Well, that was stupid. It convinced him even more that I had something.

"Stand up," he said, and I did, quickly. I put my hands behind my back, so he could clearly see me, and probably think I had nothing. Of course, that didn't stop him from looking other places...

"Turn around," he ordered me, and when I didn't, he held the gun higher, threateningly. "Now."

"O-okay. Here, look, see?" I turned around so that he could see my back, but not my hands, which I crossed in front of me this time.

"Let me see your hands..." he said like they do in old movies. Oh, crap, crap, crap!!!

I held them out -- you don't know how reluctantly I did this -- and his eyes sparkled. "Perfect," he cried, reaching for the rock on my finger.

Even though I would probably never wear it except today, and I didn't like it in the least, and I didn't want to get married, I still didn't want my wedding ring in the nands of _this_ particular man. I would much rather have it on my finger.

"No!" I shouted, snatching my hand away.

"Excuse me? Give me the ring!" he shouted. I probably shouldn't have done that, because there was a chance he might have thought if fake; its big size and all.

"NO!" But the voice didn't come from me.

**Edward's POV**

I burst through the doors to our house, only to see Bella in the same situation as the vision -- at gun point. Then I heard "Give me the ring!" from the foul thief that I wanted to rip apart right now for even speaking to my love like that. But now he wanted the _ring_, too. That was crossing the line.

The man looked towards me and my following family, his face full of fear of being outnumbered. He was far, far more than that, I daresay. (Just incase anyone was wondering, our faces were Carlisle - a trying-to-be-calm face; Esme - a shocked-yet-ready-to-tear face; Emmett - insanely enjoying himself and ready to rip this frail human apart; Rosalie - just plain angry probably because of all her jewelry he took; Jasper and Alice - protectiveness over Bella. Just like me, only I was much, _much_, MUCH more furious. I couldn't believe this guy had the nerve to come into our house and assault my Bella like this. Okay, I'm done now.)

I snarled furiously before I could contain myself -- I had seen the gun he was pointing at Bella. The man flinched, and then his face was overcome by a fear so great, it was almost funny to watch. Only, that was the wrong thing to do.

_Ahhh!!! What was THAT?! They're on her side! Shoot her now, before they do something to you!_, the man thought, his finger a milimeter away from the trigger. I snarled again, louder this time, and leaned forward to pounce on him before he could do a thing.

He pulled the trigger, and I couldn't believe the sound could be so loud -- or that I hadn't been fast enough.

**Oopsie, cliffhanger. Well, that's what you get for not REVIEWING!!! Gosh, people. Really. Anyway, I'll write more, don't worry, but you have to REVIEW. You know, the little button to the Bottom Left of this that says "SUBMIT REVIEW"??? **

**Anyway, more later. Sorry for scolding you, but you really do need to review...**


	4. Chapter 4

**I know you guys want to know who the man hit, so here you go. Thanks for the reviews!**

**-- Nikki (aka xliquidxpainx)**

**Jasper's POV**

There was so much blood... I didn't know if I could stay in the house very long. I would have to leave soon. It smelled so good.

From where Edward was bent over the bleeding Bella, he growled at me for those thoughts. I threw him an apologetic look. _I can't help it,_ I thought.

He had a panicked look on his face that quickly changed to a half-understanding expression. His hands waved wildly across Bella's body, trying to see what he could do to help Carlisle in an attempt to save Bella. I really hoped -- with all my existence -- that Bella would pull through.

**Edward's POV**

I went over the last few seconds in my head. Emmett, dragging the man outside to deal with him, Bella getting shot -- damn that man -- and me rushing over and smelling all the blood.

As I checked over her to see what I could help Carlisle with, I panicked hugely. What could I do? Carlisle was working on taking the bullet out, and I just had to sit back and watch and hope she lived. That wasn't working for me. If I could've cried at that moment, I would have. I was just so scared.

"Edward!" Carlisle snapped at me. I must have been very deep in my thoughts to not have heard him.

I looked up quickly to see what had happened. "What? What happened? Is there something wrong?!" I panicked brainlessly. But I didn't care. All that was on my mind was my beautiful Bella.

"Actually, yes. The bullet has gone too far into the rib cage -- I can't take it out without damaging her ribs permanently, even with surgery. Humans are not like us, as I'm sure you know. The ribs would never fully heal, even with time."

I gaped at him, my mouth hanging open. I was too shocked to say anything besides, "Are- are you... sure... that's correct?" I challenged, unable to be polite, even at this time.

The room gasped. No one questioned Carlisle in the medical area. He was always right. No matter what. Carlisle looked at me, astonished. "Of course I'm sure. Do you want to question my expertise or focus on saving Bella?" He sounded ticked off, for once in his very long life.

I gulped, unconcerned that he was angry with me. "Just focus on Bella. Nothing else. All I want is for her to live."

"Good," he said. "Now that we understand each other." _Now, all I have to do is reach there with the forceps..._

I didn't want to listen to that. It would just make her blood smell even stronger.

_Ugh. I can't take this! It smells so good..._, Jasper thought. I snarled loudly at him. "It's not my fault!" he shouted. I felt my eyes soften, and then I nodded in understanding.

Carlisle looked up at me then, a strange look in his eyes that I didn't understand until he thought it. _We could change her now. Think about it, Edward. You would be saving her, and making her happy._ I hadn't considered this, and I'm sure it showed in my eyes. My hands still lay on Bella's midsection, and I took them off, searching her face for some sign of consiousness. **AN: that's not spelled right...** There was none. I knew Carlisle was right, but I just didn't know if I was strong enough. And even if I was... was it worth killing her? And rendering her soul-less? I was so undecided.

Bella had given me time, and I had taken that for granted, when I should have prepared myself. Now, at the spur of the moment, I was being forced to change her. I should have been ready! Bella had been so patient... I had failed her. And now I didn't know if I would kill her or not.

**I hope that chapter was long enough. I it wasn't, let me know. I'll try to write more. It might take a little more time to write it, though.**

**Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing! **

**-- Nikki, aka xliquidxpainx :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Here you go: MORE!! Enjoy, happy reading, yada yada yada. Anyway, enough of my craziness! -- hits herself on the forehead. Can you tell???? I'm hyper!!! Me and my friend sniffed dry erase markers all through Social Studies! Ha ha ha ha...**

**Anyway (for real) enough of my craziness. **

**-- Nikki**

**Bella's POV**

I was on the brink of death. I could feel it. My breathing came in wild gasps, my blood pooling out onto the floor with my hands soaked in it. I was getting dizzy from the loss of blood, and there was a sharp pain in my chest that just wouldn't stop throbbing. I figured that was the source of the blood.

It had happened so quickly. The man pulled the trigger, and after that was just pain and mayhem. I could only remember up until the point where Edward snarled at something the man had thought.

I wished he had never found this house. That Edward had never gone on that stupid hunting trip!

_But wait_, I thought. _If I blame Edward, he'll most certainly blame himself. And we definitely can't have that, can we?_

I don't know how I had the energy to think so much as a word, but suddenly, I was trying to sit myself up. I shook my head to clear the dizziness -- even though I knew it would never work -- and pushed myself up on my elbows with all my strength. It almost worked.

I plopped my head down because I could no longer hold it up, and lay down on my back once again. Then I heard the sweet tinkling of his voice. "Bella, you must lay down. Yes, that's it, sweetheart. Lay down. Rest. Everything's going to be fine." If I didn't know any better, I'd swear he was straining to keep control. He also sounded like he was about to cry, and that he was more worried with convincing himself than me.

I needed to let him know I was fighting -- that I was strong. So I tried to sit up again, and this time, spoke his name. "Edward...?" I asked weakly. His beautiful face loomed above me, and I stuggled to open my eyes so I could see him more clearly.

"Bella, no. No, you have to lay down... and just let me do everything, okay? Just hold on a little longer, it won't... hurt," he said. But his voice broke on the last word, and I knew he was lying. It would hurt. Possibly very much.

"But...," I tried to say. All that came out of my mouth was a trickle of blood.

"Oh, no!" I heard someone shout. Well, shouted very quickly, and not really shout at all, because we were in a house of vampires. "There's internal bleeding. This is not good. Edward, you must do it, _now_."

"I don't know if I can... I don't know if I'm strong enough," Edward whispered. Then there were a flurry of voices that I tried to make out, but failed definitely. I was just too tired, and scared, from the internal bleeding someone had said was happening. I wondered what Edward wasn't strong enough to do.

And then it hit me with dizzying strength -- as if I wasn't confused enough. Edward would have to change me. It was his only choice.

**Edward's POV**

_Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God! This is not right! I shouldn't have to do it now!_, I thought, going completely balistic. No, that was an understatement. With only the bullet, we could have waited a couple hours at the most, for me to prepare. Now, my sweet Bella was going to die if I didn't change her _now_. I was ready to scream and roar and break everything with fear, anxiety, and fury. This was not what I had expected.

Then she moaned quietly, and I knew she was just about gone. Her strengh was waning.

I told everyone to back away, and cover their noses if needed, and for everyone to get me what I needed: a very large towel, some hospital blood, to keep the heart pumping and to keep the venom spreading, and a large quantity of morophine so the pain would be a bit less for my love.

When all that had been done, I steeled myself for the oncoming challenge -- keeping Bella alive while killing her. It was a confusing mix.

**AN: Thanks for reading! I know it's kind of sad and stuff, but I promise, everything's gonna be ok. Now, if you will please click the little purple button; he is your bestest buddy:)**


	6. Chapter 6

**More of the story. Thnx 4 reading:)**

**-- Nikki**

**BPOV**

I was ready to die. Literally. I was hoping Edward would do this for me; change me into a vampire, yada yada. But now I just wanted to _die_. Really die. Go to heaven -- or hell, whichever one I ended up in. This pain was too much for my frail human body. I was kicking and screaming, even though I knew Edward gave me morophine, and I was numb all over my body, somehow, I still felt the pain. And a lot of it.

I didn't know if this was normal for this much screaming and kicking -- I was doing it involuntarily -- but I did know that what hurt hurt. I couldn't take this anymore. Especially not _three days_ of it. It would be unbearable. I would grab Alice's scarf that I remembered she had on and strangle myself if I had to. Anything to get me out of this awful mess.

Somebody obviously noticed I was planning to commit suicide, and came to soothe me. I assumed it was Carlisle because of his slight accent. "Bella, it's alright. Calm down," he ordered me in a firm but gentle voice. I thought he was holding my flailing legs down.

Then I heard a sea of voices. "It's okay, Bells," "You can make it through," and "Only... fifty-two ore hours, now." The last one was _mucho_ unhelpful. It only made my tears leak over. I couldn't feel them pooling down my face, but I knew they were there. I'd cried enough in my lifetime to at least know when I was crying.

"No, it's not!" I shouted, my words coming out slurred and garbled, like they did when I was crying, which I was.

That just opened up the floodgates. Everyone was saying stuff and yelling -- probably Edward -- about how this was a _horrible_ idea, and blah blah blah. I couldn't take it. My brain was too messed up right now, and there were changes taking place in my ears, which were turning super-sonic, so I heard every syllable of what they were saying perfectly; kinda like I was a cat that could hear a mouse scuttling across the floor in the opposite corner of the house. Not that there were mice -- that was just a comparision.

Anyway, back to how messed up I was right now. I was still screaming and kicking, and it was a wonder how I managed to get all these demanding thoughts crammed into my head. One part of my brain was screaming, _This is what you want! Go through with it, no matter how much it hurts! Think of Edward! _Another part of my brain, however, was saying, _Oh, it hurts too much! I'll end up dead either way I go! End it now!_

Now, you have to understand. When I say, "I want to kill myself," I literally mean it. It hurt more than you can possibly imagine -- it hurt like hell. I couldn't stand it. Especially later into the second day, when I felt it spread to my chest. It was just about to reach my heart and stop it. This was insane. It was a wonder the Cullens weren't bailing on me with all this screaming.

Edward's hands were on me the whole time, soothing me, saying it was alright, telling me that it would be over soon.

People who couldn't handle it -- cough, cough, Jasper -- had to leave the house and go hunting for the weekend. Rose and Emmett went with him. The morophine was beginning to wear off from the sixth injection, and I could now feel the pain more intensely. But it was wearing off, too.

Maybe it had reached my heart already and my bloodstream was slowing down. Just maybe, this nightmare would be over.

My breathing slowed from the frantic, shallow breaths it had been for the last three days to a calm, slow breathing that made me want to go to sleep. I could feel the blood pulsing through my veins, not quite as fast as usual, maybe even slower than it had ever been before. I could feel myself dying.

It was a weird prospect: I could feel myself dying, yet I was still... "alive." I was still breathing, though I knew I didn't need it. My heart was still beating, even though I knew it would stop in a matter of time. I could feel my skin harden and my face become seraphic and beautiful. My skin turned paler than I'd ever thought possible. I felt my lips curve into a smile.

I opened my eyes for the first time in a long three days -- let's just say that it's amazing what a newborn vampire change will do to the old ones. They were more haggard and tired-looking than I'd ever seen a vampire look before. It was insane. All of a sudden, I felt myself laughing. Giggles were racking my ribcage, and soon I was back on the floor, rolling and laughing. Out of the blue, Edward started laughing, too. Nobody knew what for -- not even me. Maybe it was just a happy occasion.

**Ha ha. Sort of a happy ending. But beware! I am not done yet. I will be back! Muahaha!!!!**

**Please leave a message after the beep! (aka leave a review plz!)**

**-- Nikki**


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry it's taken so long to update. Gosh, I've been really busy! Anyways, enjoy!**

**-- Nikki**

**Edward's POV**

I couldn't understand why I was in hysterics. It was insane -- absolutely ludicrous -- that I would feel giddy after ending someone's life; and not just anyone's. My life's, my love's, Isabella's. Yet here I was, laughing my head off on the floor with her for no apparent reason. I knew she thought of it as a happy occasion, but it was just about the most morose occasion of them all -- at least for me.

I sat up half way, proping myself up on my elbow. Bella did the same, looking angelic while she did it, especially now since her physical features -- her hair was shinier, her lips were fuller -- were signifigantly enhanced. She looked even more like an angel now than ever -- and that's saying something!

I let one last chuckle escape, then moved to help her up. After I had, we took a step toward the door -

And I stopped in my tracks. Alice was having a vision. And it was not a good one. They were back.

**Bella's POV**

Edward and I hopped off the floor, and I turned the doorknob. I opened the door halfway when Edward suddenly stopped, causing me to jerk backwards a little. I looked back at him with a curious glance in my eye, wondering what made him look so horrified. His face was tormented.

**Alice's POV**

As Edward and Bella -- beautiful Bella -- stood up, I was suddenly sucked into one of those never-ending visions.

I was in that dream-like haze, the one where everything seemed to be masked over with a thick fog. But of course this was no dream. Because out of the trees came running Jane, Demitri, and, worst of all, Caius. His white hair seemed even more menacing in the vision. They were heading west, directly towards our beautiful home. They were coming for Bella. I heard Caius whisper to Jane, "Make me proud, my little one."

And then it was over.

I came -- gasping -- back to reality. I saw everyone crowded around me, and Edward frozen where he stood, Bella looking at everyone in utter confusion. I could hear Edward breathing across the room -- he was panting even harder than I was. His face was masked in a look of such horror, it almost hurt to watch. I would have come over and comforted him if not for the terrifying matter at hand.

"Alright," I said to everyone who didn't have vampire powers, "everyone stay calm. It's okay."

Edward snarled from across the room, suddenly malicious. "Okay? Okay? Of course it's not okay! They're back. This is insane!" he yelled, tearing out of the room like a buffalo on the run from a hyena -- in other words, so fast there wasn't even time to utter 'no.'

Bella looked more confused than ever, a look of hurt on her face like she was to blame. I stalked over to her, my mouth hanging half open. I tried to close it, but it just wouldn't work. It took a couple tries, but I finally managed to force out, "It's not your fault, Bella. Everybody come here."

I told them about my vision, and told them to be calm, acting like Bella had been this way for a couple months. We would pull through. All Bella had to hope for was that they didn't come back fresh from hunting -- they would be full of fresh blood, and she would go nuts. But I didn't see that happening. We would pull through. We _had_ to.

**Thanks for reading you guys! Now you have to _review_. Good luck writing a decent review for this one -- it was kind of confusing.**

**-- Nikki**


	8. Chapter 8

**Another chapter of my _wonderful_ story! Yay! (I know it's not as good as most of them out there, but still...)**

**Here you go! Enjoy, R, and R please!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Edward, Bella, The Cullens, or any of the Volturi.**

**BPOV**

Alice had said the Volturi were back. Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no, no!!! This was _very_ bad! What if they saw that we hadn't changed me earlier? What if I went nuts?

But there was nothing to worry about, right? After all, I was one of them, now. Nothing bad would happen if they saw I was a vampire, too, finally. I almost sighed in exasperation at the last word: finally. Just think, if it had taken Edward a little longer to change me, we would be in big trouble right now. Possibly even more trouble than we already were.

I managed to convince myself -- partly -- that there was no reason to worry, they would hurt us. They couldn't. I took a deep breath just as Alice said that the Volturi would be arriving in, "Five... four... three..." chanted Alice. That made me worry even more! I thought about asking her to stop.

"One."

**EPOV**

The millisecond Alice said "one," I heard a knock on the front door. How sweet. The rulers of the vampire world have the manners to knock.

I rushed to the door, against Bella's protests, but I motioned her to be quiet. They were coming. No, they were here.

I jerked the door open because they were beginning to get impatient. Caius' seraphic face stared at me from the other side of the threshold, smiling ever so slightly. "Hello, Edward. Nice to see you again," he said politely. I just nodded.

"We didn't smell any humans nearby," Demitri purred. "That must mean _something_. Has there been a change in Forks?" He meant 'change' in two different ways. One way was the vampire change. They knew we had turned Bella. The other was a human change. You know, the way you humans use the word.

"Yes, there has, Demitri," Carlisle cut in. "Would you all like to come in?"

"Yes, we very much would. Thank you, Carlisle," Caius responded, nodding to him. Then they walked together to the opposite side of the room to talk. I couldn't hear them, they were talking so quietly, but I did hear Carlisle think to me, _Keep Bella safe, Edward. They know she is a vampire, but they don't know what she is capable of. Neither do we. That is why they will try to take her and 'experiment.' Maybe even keep her. Do not let her out of your sight._

I silently promised on my mother's grave that I would not. I slided over to Bella's right side and took her hand while Jane and Demitri inspected her.

Jane smiled beautifully at Bella, and she responded just as brilliantly. Jane didn't like that. She put on a pout face and turned her head away, while Bella's smile faded into a slight smirk.

I nudged her playfully so no one could see. Not even Demitri, who was also frustrated that he couldn't collect the tenor of her mind. At least he couldn't use his 'tracking specialty' to seek her out. That must have frustrated him when they were traveling, too.

"So, Bella," he said tightly. "When were you changed?" He asked this suspiciously, as if he didn't already know that she was a vampire. Maybe because he was hoping that, once she was a vampire, he and others could enter her mind.

I was secretly hoping for something like that, too. I wanted to read her mind, so so much, as I always have. The hope faded, however, and now I'm just happy I didn't kill her.

"Two months and eighteen days ago," she replied, lying with ease. Her voice sounded so different for two reasons: she was a perfect, hard, cold vampire now, and because she could now lie without blushing or her voice cracking. It made me proud.

He nodded and Jane danced back over. "That's cool," she said, trying to act like it. "You really are brave, Isabella. I would never have chosen this life before hand. Although, if I knew I'd be living this life forever, I probably would have. It's so nice, don't you think?"

My love nodded sincerely at my side, smiling a little bit. "Yeah, it is. It's really _very_ nice." She snuck a glance at me, and I scowled playfully back. She laughed at that.

_That's it, Bella. Laugh. Breathe. Everything's going to be okay_, I thought to myself. Even as I said the last part, I doubted it. But at least I could still make her giggle a little. These were tough moments, and we were going to get through them.

**BPOV**

As I laughed, I actually felt a little high. I couldn't believe I was actually _laughing_ at a time like this, but Edward was just so funny. I got the feeling he was trying to lighten up the day a little. It worked.

My gaze drifted back, unwillingly, to Demitri and Jane, and I was still smiling. Jane raised her eyebrows a little, but otherwise smiled back. Was it just me, or was that smile genuine? I have no idea.

I decided to ask Edward about it later. Just then, I felt something at the back of my throat. A burning, aching need for something other than food. I bit my lip, looking up at Edward with pleading eyes.

This could undo us. This could undo all of us. If Caius, Jane, and Demitri saw me hunting like the complete and total ameture I was, they would know I was lying about the 'two month and eighteen days' thing. But two months isn't that long, right? That's still short enough of a time for me to be completely new at this. I figured it was okay. I needed to relax. Because it was okay. I was a vampire, I was new at this, and I had no special powers at all. They wouldn't need me.

"Um, Edward...?" I asked, turning my face down again. When I looked up at him, his eyes turned alarmed.

"Yeah?" he was searching my face for the source of my pleading. I was willing him to understand without actually saying it out loud. It was times like these when I wished he could read my mind.

I motioned his head downward, and whispered in his ear. "I think I _really_ need to go hunt. I'm, like, cataclysmic on the inside right now."

He straighted up like someone had hit him, and muttered his apologies to the Volturi, hurrying me out the door and we were off running. We knew that was a bad idea, but I was going to go insane in a few minutes.

We heard someone following us, and I could smell Jane perfectly. Just before we entered the forest, I could hear Caius saying to Jane, "Go after them."

I stopped suddenly, and turned to face Jane. I was completely insane, but I figured she couldn't hurt us if we were just going to do what we do best.

Jane practically ran into me. Actually, she did. She wasn't expecting my change in direction, so she was still running. She tackled me, unintentionally, to the ground like a giant boulder. It knocked the breath out of me.

One second I couldn't breathe, and the next, Jane was in a push-up position over me, looking at me and apologizing. "I'm so sorry, Bella! I didn't know you had stopped, and..." Her face was surprised and hurt. She was just so sweet right now, even though I know she was _not _-- nor ever could be -- sweet in any way shape or form.

I smiled up at her, saying, "It's okay, Jane. I'm fine. You're fine. Calm down, okay?" She stopped, but she still looked close to tears, if that were possible.

"Are you sure? I'll... I'll make it up to you," she told me. I shook my head, motioning for her to stand up. She did, and offered me her hand.

I took it and said thank you. Edward was standing off to the side. I knew the only reason he hadn't attacked Jane for that yet was because she hadn't meant to. And when Edward doesn't attack, it means that the attacker was in no way planning it. That was exceptionally good.

"One last time, please?" pleaded Jane.

I sighed. "Fine. One last time."

"Thank you. I'm sooooooo sorry!" she apologized. I actually giggled. Did that truly happen in the last thirty seconds? Did Jane really tackle me, knock me to the ground, and is apologizing to me repeatedly? Wow.

"It's okay. Really. We were just going to hunt," I told her, and she looked surprised.

"You were just going to hunt? The way you looked so panicked and... Oh, my gosh. I'm sorry," she said, then slapped her hand over her mouth for uttering the last part. I laughed hard.

She joined in soon, completely willing. We leaned against trees when we were done with our hysterics. Edward was looking back and forth between us like we were insane. I guess he still held a grudge against her or something...

"Come on, Jane. Do you want to go with us?" I asked, to Edward's complete surprise.

She took a second to think about it. "Sure. Why not?"

**Whew! I sat down and wrote that in one sitting! That's so cool. **

**Sorry for the weirdness with Jane and Bella and everything... I thought it would be awesome if they could get along. I mean, I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to Bella, right? So why not make something _good_ come out of this mess?**

**Thank you, thank you. I love you all!**

**-- Nikki**

**P.S.: You _must_ review this one. This is ( in my opinion ) the best of them all, and possibly the longest.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you to all who reviewed. I got a ton for that last chapter! I guess you weren't expecting the Bella/Jane thing, huh? Yes, a good deal many people were surprised.**

**Read on, my fellow bookaholics!**

**Alas, I do not own any of the Twilight characters, settings, etc.**

**-- Nikki**

**BPOV**

I was relieved of my hunger, which was what I had been craving ever since we left the house. I would've settled for a small squirrel. But, luckily, Edward had found a grizzly bear not to far off. A grizzly bear! I would've never thought I was so thirsty as to kill an innocent, beautiful animal like that, yet there I was, attacking it. Then Edward and Jane thought that they might as well find something, too, so I worked on creeping through the trees and bracken quietly. Twigs snapped in my step. Would I ever get this right? It's like my old clumsiness come back to haunt me, though I never for a moment doubted that it was fully gone.

Edward dragged me along, even though I insisted they go off alone; I would only slow them down. The truth was, I wanted to try hunting on my own, just to see if I could do that. But of course, I didn't tell Edward that. And of course he had to take me with him.

Watching Jane hunt was fantastical. Impossible to describe. Besides the picture of her walking up to the animal, like she meant it no harm at all, and talk to it sweetly. Then, so quickly even _I_ couldn't see her, she struck, and there was a dead animal in her hands. She had agreed to drink animal's blood while she was in the United States, under Edward's jurisdiction. Her nose scrunched up as she nearly choked on the taste of the underrated animal blood rather than the rich humans'.

"I don't know how you can _stand_ this stuff. It's just so... nonsatisfying! Ugh," she judged, shuddering in unison with her 'ugh.' I giggled a little.

"It's all I've ever tasted -- blood-wise -- so I don't care. I'm sure human's blood is much better, though." She nodded in feverent agreement.

Then I smiled, and she, unexpectedly, smiled back! Was I her friend now? A Volturi? What did this mean?

Not that this was in any way bad. I would jump at any chance to make friends with the most powerful family on the vampire planet. So I did.

"So, what do you want to do when we get back to the house? How long are you staying?" I ask, falling into step beside her as she tosses the carcass into the trees.

"I have no idea. It's your country. You tell us what there is to do here," she tells me, smiling to herself.

"My country? We don't own it or anything," I said, confuzzled. **a/n: I love that word...**

"Yes, I know. I just meant that you live in this country and we live in ours. It's old-people talk, hon. You wouldn't understand."

I cracked up. It was so funny, this little child talking to me like she was a hundred years old. Who knows, maybe she was? The prospect was undyingly funny.

She looked at me weirdly, but otherwise smiled and kept walking. Edward was walking by my side, easily keeping pace, but he had stayed quiet throughout this whole conversation.

I look up at him and cock my head.

"What?" he asks softly, resigned.

"You know what. What's up?" I ask, searching his face. Now Jane is quiet.

"Nothing." His eyes are too innocent. I purse my lips and raise an eyebrow.

He sighs, then looks at Jane pleadingly. She puts on a shocked face, but then understands. However, I don't. I am way in the depths of confusion.

"Bella," she says. It keep walking, but turn to face her. Edward grabs my elbow, yanking me backward. I let out a soft grunt as I trip over my own feet and stumble. "Bella, look at me." I do, confused.

"Tell her, please. I don't think I could," Edward said in a whisper. Since when does he ever feel like he _can't_ tell me anything? He's been opened up completely ever since the incident of him leaving! I looked franticly between the two mysteries of vampires, panicky.

"What's going on?" I ask, completely freaked out. "Edward?!"

"Bella, calm down. It's okay. The Volturi and I are only staying a couple days," she told me. I wonder what the hell that has to do with anything. "Long enough to get you to come back with us."

I understood. That's what they were here for. To get me to be one of them. "But... But, you would come with me, right?" I asked, pleading Edward.

"I... don't... know, Bella." My mouth drops open like a gaping fish.

"Are you serious? You left me, and it nearly killed us both, and now you're just going to _stay here_?! Are you serious?" I ask again, getting angrier and also breaking at the same exact time. Not again.

I wouldn't go anywhere Edward wasn't, so I was either going with them or not.

"Where are you going, Edward? Are you staying or going with me?" I ask him, determined in my mind to stay with him no matter what.

He thought it over for a second. "This is not something to be discussed here. Let's go back to the house."

"I agree," said Jane. They started for the house.

"No!" I shouted, angry. They looked at me, surprised. "This is completely something between you and me, Edward. You know that. Where -are - you - going?" I said sternly, emphasizing every word.

He stood there for a moment, taking in my anger and what I was asking. "Here," he said simply. "I can't leave my family."

I wanted so badly to go to Volterra. I was utterly surprised at myself. This was not right! I wasn't supposed to _want_ to go to the place that could've gotten me killed. And yet. "Then let's take them with us!" I was filled with a new hope. Maybe I wouldn't have to go alone.

Jane apparently liked that idea. "Yes, you could. We wouldn't give you any problems. You could bring them."

He looked back and forth between me and Jane, searching. "I couldn't just ask them. They won't go. Not everyone."

"Edward, if I go to Volterra, and you stay here, the family will be split up. If I go to Volterra and you come with me, and some of the family does, too, we'll be split up. There's no way around it except staying in Washington. And I really don't want to."

I didn't know why I was suddenly so passionate about going to Italy. I just felt a longing for the cold stone walls of the castle and the faces of vampires. Where I could belong.

Unlike last time. Last time, there were hungry eyes waiting to eat a delicious human like me. But now that I was a vampire, that wasn't going to happen. I was going to Volterra.

Then there was the part of me that said to stay wherever Edward was, which was, by far, the majority of my brain. "Where are you going, Edward?" I ask him again.

He sighed, then made up his mind -- finally. "I'm going with you. Wherever you go."

I gasped in relief and joy, jumping at him to hug him. He chuckled at my sudden exuberance. "I will stay with you, Isabella. _Whatever_ you choose. I swear," he whispered in my ear. How lucky was I? Right now, the luckiest girl on the planet.

Then we let go, and we ran back to the house. Jane had watched the whole thing.

We walked back into the house. Everyone was waiting for us, Alice had told them we were coming back and had something to say.

Alice smiled hugely at the top of the stairs. "Yes, yes, and yes! I will _totally_ go with you! Omigosh! I will so live with you in Volterra!" she shrieked, surprising everyone but me and Edward. You could almost hear them gasp in unison and the music go silent in the movie.

"Really, Alice? Are you sure?" I asked, teasing her.

"Of course, stupid! I would kill to go with you!" she screamed, still happy beyond belief.

Everyone else was staring at us, gaping. "Well, incase Alice confused you, the Volturi are here to take me back to Italy. I'm going with them. Edward is going with me. Would you like to come too?" I ask matter-of-factly.

Uh..." I hear Emmett say. "Sure!" I looked over at him, eyes wide. Was he actually agreeing with me? Goodness. He was the person I was most unsure about. Besides Rosalie, I mean. She was toughest of all.

Then, unexpectedly, she sighed. "Well, if Emmett is going, I guess that means I have to, too," she said, a look of boredom on her face like she does this every day.

The rest of the Cullens were confering quietly. Jasper said, "If Alice is going, I must, too. Yeah, Bella. Sure. Why not?" I smile at him, and he can feel my relief. He sends a wave of calm through me. Then he teases and sends a wave of anger. "Jasper!" I yell. He chuckles, shaking his head.

Carlisle says he could use some time with his old friends, and Esme just doesn't want to stay home alone. She agrees enthusiasticly.

"Everyone's coming to Volterra!" I yell, and all the girls squeal and bend into a group hug, jumping up and down. Even Jane. I think she is my friend, now.

Suddenly, it feels like the beginning of the greatest vacation ever. You know, that feeling you get when you plan a trip, staying in a comletely different state, city, country, whatever, for one or two weeks? Yes, this felt like a very awesome vacation. Only we were staying for God only knew how long. After all, we are vampires.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys! That last chapter was truly the last... sorry. I'm thinking of starting another story to tell of their tales in Volterra! Whaddya think? Leave reviews, tell me what you think!**

**Thanks,**

**-- Nikki : )**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey guys!**

**Check out my profile in a few days to know when I'm posting the new story and what I'm calling it!**

**Sincerely you fanfiction writer,**

**Nikki ;)**


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